Teenage prodigy Guan shines at Masters

Guan Hong Yu claims she was not anxious about how her 14-year-old son Tianlang would do as the youngest competitor ever at the Masters.

"I'm not nervous," she told reporters at the practice putting green minutes before he teed off for the first round.

"He has played in more than 200 tournaments. He is very experienced."

Mother knows her son very well, as the extraordinarily composed eighth grader toured the treacherous Augusta National course in a one-over-par 73 and won the hearts and respect of galleries up and down the spiritual home of US golf.

"I just feel comfortable and relaxed," the cool and calm Guan said.

"I played some good golf and it just feels great."

The smooth-swinging Guan was just one stroke away from the 72 four-time winner Tiger Woods recorded as a 19-year-old in his first round at the Masters, and three shots better than six-times winner Jack Nicklaus recorded at 19 in his first trip to Augusta National.

A care basket that included two bananas, some energy bars and fruit juice packed by his mother might have helped, along with the encouragement from an entourage of more than a dozen friends and family that followed him every step of the way.

On a breezy, overcast day that threatened rain, Guan exceeded expectations, sparkling with a short game that took the breath away from the seasoned Crenshaw.

"He played about four of the most beautiful delicate pitches you've ever seen," said playing partner and two-time winner Ben Crenshaw.

"He played like a veteran today.

"He played like a journeyman, a 28-year-old journeyman who's been around the block, made a ton of cuts. He played a beautiful round of golf."

Emotional finish

Guan ended his major championship debut with a birdie putt right on the day's magic number of 14, curling in a 14-footer at the 18th to finish the first round as low scorer by three strokes among the six amateur players in the field.

The Asia-Pacific amateur champion showed his first emotion of a five-hour tour of Augusta National at the last hole, thrusting his right arm into the air and waving his cap to the cheering crowd after bending in a left-to-right curler for his closing birdie.

"It was like a dream come true," Guan said. "Playing in the Masters is pretty amazing."

I played some good golf and it just feels great.

Guan Tianlang

The slightly-built teenager made up for a lack of length off the tee, where he routinely drives the ball about 260 yards, with his deft short game, drawing roars of appreciation with his rescue work at the sixth, 11th, 13th and 17th holes.

While Guan played his round with a dead-pan expression, his father, Han Wen, was the head cheerleader.

The elder Guan, a physician who began showing Tianlang the rudiments of the game when he was four, exhorted "bite, bite, bite," on his son's long approach shots and "go, go, go," when his shots landed short on the green.

He shot a fist-pump to a friend after his son's six-foot birdie putt hit the bottom of the hole at the 10th after a 190-yard, high, soft hybrid shot into the green.

When Guan rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-five 13th after his tee shot lost distance after it deflected off a pine tree branch, the player's father threw his arms over his head, cheered and slapped a high-five with a friend from home.

At the par-four 11th hole, he pulled his approach shot into the pond guarding the green on the left. From the drop area, he knocked a wedge shot to within three feet and converted for a brilliant bogey-save.

Crenshaw, who played a practice round with Guan earlier in the week, recognises the gifts that make Guan special.

"He stays well within himself, he's very confident, and obviously has beautiful hands," Crenshaw said.